Not Just BPA: Heating Food in Plastic Containers is Just Plain Dangerous

Fresh research conducted by Dr. Leonardo Transande, a professor at New York University's Langone Medical Center, revealed that microwaving food in plastic Tupperware-like containers, even those not made with the well-known Bisphenol A compound, can lead to serious health issues, including diabetes.

Plastic food storage containers, ubiquitous in kitchens around the globe, have become the target of much suspicion in recent years after compounds found in its chemical makeup were proved to be dangerous. Unfortunately, things don't seem to have changed for the better, according to Dr. Transande and his team, who studied two phthalates — new substitute compounds — and came to disappointing conclusions.

The results: elevated levels of DINP and DIDP phthalates in urine samples from children and teenagers who were examined between 2009 and 2012 via a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey are linked to high blood pressure measurements.

"A significant association was found between high blood pressure and DINP/DIDP levels in study participants. This is not a cause-and-effect relationship but it suggests that phthalates may contribute to increased blood pressure," the researchers said.

Though lightweight and convenient, Tupperware and other brands of plastic food storage containers have been shown to leach toxic chemicals into food, particularly when used in the microwave. In 2010, Tupperware stopped using materials that contain Bisphenol A, which has been linked to neural and behavioral effects in children and an increased risk of obesity, among other concerns.  But Transande's study points to other chemicals that, when heated, can lead to high blood pressure along with insulin resistance — two notorious factors of diabetes.

Your food storage containers could be putting you at risk for health problems: http://t.co/YZnsia3RLf pic.twitter.com/EUU6yr0ifb

— Cooking Light (@Cooking_Light) July 12, 2015

According to Transande, we must change our cooking habits if we don't want to harm our health. Avoiding plastic containers or plastic wraps when microwaving food is a matter of first importance. Plastic containers should also not be washed in dishwashers, and consumers should avoid plastic containers labeled 3, 6 and 7.  Instead, paper plates, bowls, or other forms of dishware are safe for using.